The present invention relates to methods and systems using personal communications devices to obtain information from databases over the Internet, and in particular to personal communication devices, such as cellular phones, capable of obtaining product-related information over the Internet from one or more remote databases.
Automated order and delivery systems have been proposed for enhancing customer sales transactions in an environment in which the point-of-sale and merchandise warehouse are located in a combined facility. Such systems provide customers with hand-held sale transaction computers in communication with a central point-of-sale computer system through radio frequency transmissions. When shopping for an item, the customer enters a customer identification number. The customer is then able to build a sale transaction record by reading a product code with a pen or a wand to select the item for purchase. The user is also able to obtain product information from the central computer such as item price, stock availability and a product description. In this manner, the customer is able to build up a sale transaction record and transmit the transaction record to the central computer to effectuate warehouse deliver according to customer entered delivery instructions.
Such systems, however, are limited to providing customers with information from a single proprietary merchandise database operated by a single merchant. The customer is unable to obtain information from other databases that are not operated by the merchant. Further, as the hand-held interface devices must be returned to the merchant, the customer is limited to obtaining any product-related information from the point-of-sale location. Accordingly, what is needed in the art is a portable device that allows a customer to obtain product-related information from multiple databases from any location.